Dipper Pines, Kept Man
by forcedInduction
Summary: If Pacifica had known that all she had to do to get Dipper to make a move was buy him a spooky house, she would have gotten into real estate sooner. (Cover art is by Elentori on Tumblr.)
1. Kept Man

**The Dipcifica muse came on strong this Thanksgiving eve after reading some other stories, so I decided to see how far my little idea would go. I'm pretty happy with the results. For any of my readers who've never seen Gravity Falls, you should check it out.**

 **EDIT: Of course the moment I submit this someone finds a sign in the show that says Northwest Realty. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO KNOW. Oh well. Maybe this is just Pacifica's first foray into an established family business. Also, if you enjoy the story or have constructive criticism, please review. Reviews really make my day.**

Dipper Pines, Kept Man

Pacifica Northwest's life had taken some unexpected turns. For instance, as a child, she never would have guessed that she'd be the founder of a haunted house/supernatural museum. Nor did she imagine that she'd be dating one of the world's youngest and foremost experts on the occult (and the biggest nerd she'd ever met). But life has a funny way of changing minds. Hers began to change fairly abruptly when she was twelve, during a party that was less about who was invited and more about who wasn't. In spite of her parents' wishes, she finally did the right thing that night, and her life changed for the better.

Still, even after that defining moment when she realized the stock from which she came was rich but rotten, she didn't imagine that she'd be building what amounted to a theme park attraction out of the whole painful mess.

But again, life and a couple of twins had a funny way of changing her mind – especially the handsome one. Dipper Pines had found his calling in Gravity Falls – more specifically, to his own surprise, the Mystery Shack. Yes, the place was hokey, and his Great Uncle was basically a con man, but there was much more to the rough old man than met the eye. The Pines took care of other people, even during an apocalypse, and Stan was no exception. He took her in, along with so many others, keeping them safe from the storm of chaos that warped the world outside. Pacifica had been told multiple times that she was now more Pines than Northwest, and she always blushed and took it for the compliment that it was.

Saving the world left Dipper at a loss for what to do with the rest of his life, but he did at least know that he couldn't make it a normal one. He spent many late nights watching the stars with Pacifica on the roof of the Shack and musing that someday he might like a shack of his own – a place where he could show people the weirdest and wildest things that had ever existed and tell them the story of how those things had almost wrecked the whole world.

So a young Pacifica Northwest had started to do some research. That research turned into a business plan. The business plan – one of impeccable quality for a girl who had never shown much outward ambition – turned into a pitch to a stunned set of Pines twins. That pitch was later nervously repeated to their Great Uncle Stan, who had listened thoughtfully, his face unreadable, until he gruffly asked if Dipper was serious about following in his footsteps. When Dipper had smiled and said that he couldn't picture any other life for himself, Stan's eyes had grown suspiciously moist and he had to excuse himself.

The start-up costs were quite manageable. It wasn't that difficult to negotiate a fair price for a rickety old mansion – as Pacifica well knew, the rich liked their things to be brand new or priceless heirlooms, so the key was to find a place that was neither. As it happened, she managed to find just such a house on the northern outskirts of Piedmont. Built in the 30's but made to look much older, Dipper had taken one look at the place with its once-opulent but now decaying furnishings, exposed timber frame and echoing, moth-eaten halls and fallen in love. That was before she led him to the back of the house and gestured toward a massive window with a knowing smile. She was expecting Dipper to squeal like a girl when he saw that the house overlooked a graveyard with a _bona-fide freaking mausoleum_ , but she was totally unprepared for what he did instead.

He pointed wildly at the scene outside and made a strangled sound as if his mouth wasn't sure what it wanted to do. His moment of indecision didn't last long, because the next thing Pacifica knew, she'd been dipped (Mabel was never going to let that pun die) so low and kissed so fiercely that she had to claw at the tattered drapes to stay on her feet. With one hand balled up in dusty antique fabric to steady herself, she used the other to seize a fistful of Dipper's hair so that he couldn't pull away. It was just like him to do something like this and then ruin it by apologizing, so she decided not to give him the opportunity.

They'd become closer than ever in the preceding years – it was hard not to get closer when you were planning a future together. She had scrawled "Pacifica Pines" on the edge of a document more than once during idle daydreams. She'd had her hopes and suspicions about Dipper reciprocating her feelings, and now she had the answer she'd been looking for.

If she'd known all she had to do to get him to make a move was buy him a spooky house, she would have gotten into real estate sooner.

* * *

Mabel had christened it the Mystery Manor, and the name stuck. After Pacifica had the Mystery Manor surreptitiously examined to make sure that it was not _actually_ going to fall apart, she convinced the current owners that she intended to bulldoze it and talked them down to a price that would have made her parents proud.

Not that she cared about earning her parents' praise, of course. She hadn't cared about their approval in years. Not since she'd decided to become someone worthy of Dipper's friendship. Thankfully, his friendship had been easy to come by after she threw the lever and broke the curse.

So in the end, old houses and great boyfriends were not terribly difficult to obtain. No, the hard part had been getting the land under the Mystery Manor rezoned from residential to a museum. Mounds of money wielded like a club could almost always buy you land, but zoning law was an annoyance of the highest order and required a nuanced touch. She'd needed outside expertise and donations to the right "causes" to remove the zoning obstacle, and those things had cost several pretty pennies. The process had taken nearly a year and was the type of problem one could typically only solve by bribing or blackmailing the right officials and neighbors. She was pleased that she'd muddled her way through without any blackmail. She knew that Dipper would be pleased too.

The finalization of the zoning mess was the reason she was headed to Piedmont today. That and to see her boyfriend, of course. She tilted her head slowly from one side to the other, working out the stiffness that had settled in her neck during the long drive from Gravity Falls. She was definitely writing the gas for this trip off as a business expense.

Pacifica was still looking into whether they could get tax-exempt status. On the one hand, she envisioned the Manor making money and supporting both herself and the Pines family, but on the other hand, she thought it would be hilarious if her parents' friends knew that the heir to the Northwest fortune was shoveling the beginnings of her inheritance into something so tawdry as a non-profit focused on the supernatural. They'd never live it down. The thought of her parents' shame made Pacifica feel all warm inside.

Some in her situation might have flown or even chartered a jet for the trip instead of driving, but she was trying to get used to living frugally in case the Mystery Manor didn't work out. That and she knew that Dipper enjoyed having access to her car. It was a guilty pleasure for him, and she tried not to tease him about it too much. After learning to drive in Soos's rusty truck and the veritable aircraft carrier that was Stan's old sedan, the heated seats and working transmission in her S-Class felt like paradise to him. Besides, it was fall break and she intended to spend as much time on her two favorite ventures as she could before her last remaining semester of high school beckoned her home.

The blonde glanced at her GPS and saw that she was nearly there. She smiled as she finally exited the highway, winding her way through the small town's residential streets and parking outside the now-familiar home of the Pines twins. Glancing up at the house with an infectious smile, she picked up her phone and started composing a message to let Dipper know she was outside when she heard a door slam closed and found that he was already jogging across the lawn to greet her. She got out of the car and smoothed her hair down, hoping it wasn't too disheveled from the trip.

"Did you miss me?" Dipper asked softly as he drew her into a tight hug.

"Duh." Pacifica smiled as she squeezed him just as tightly. "Did you miss _me?_ " She asked playfully.

"Duh." He chuckled over the top of her head. "Ready to go check out your amazing Mystery Manor, Miss benefactor?"

"Definitely -" She began, but faltered, glancing back at the car with a wince. "Actually, can I use the bathroom first?"

* * *

"I still can't believe you stuffed that building inspector guy into a butler outfit just to save some money."

"You'll be happy I did when you see the special effects budget. If they knew I was going to leave the place standing they could have squeezed another hundred thousand out of me. And I have it on good authority that my chief technical advisor-slash-curator and his uncles can make a hundred thousand go a very long way." She smiled.

"Yup, we're amazing." Dipper confirmed without even the barest hint of modesty. "Stan says he's cobbled together something out of spare portal parts that'll disrupt gravity in a thirty foot radius. We can totally make people float!" His enthusiasm was adorable and a little contagious, but Pacifica tried not to let it show. "And Ford's got the blue fire for the lumberjack figured out."

"Did he figure out how to do it without setting the actor on fire?" Pacifica inquired pointedly.

"He's working on it." Dipper's tone was defensive. He was fond of both of his uncles, but he knew that responsibility and risk aversion were not their strong suits.

"Where's Mabel?" Pacifica asked. If Dipper was her boyfriend, Mabel was her best friend. In spite of their early rivalry and in typical Mabel fashion, the playful girl had forgiven all of Pacifica's slights against them. Dipper's endorsement probably helped a lot, though.

"She's still at the diner." Dipper smiled regretfully, but on the inside he felt nervous excitement. Mabel could have gotten the night off from the fifties-themed diner where she'd been working, but her absence was part of a larger plan. "She said she'll see us when we get home."

"Is she still raking in crazy tips there?" Pacifica asked with a fond smile, imagining the high-velocity hug and sleepover that was sure to follow when they returned to the house later.

"Yeah, she's making some sweet money considering it's only a few nights a week during school." The waitressing job was right up Mabel's alley. She had boundless energy and loved talking to people. It helped that she'd grown out of her physically awkward stage without realizing it. The end result was the world's most adorable waitress in various colorful and often homemade outfits enthusiastically serving a growing clientele that, to her intrigue, consisted mostly of young men.

It wasn't just the young men who appreciated the Mabel Difference, though. There were plenty of older people who'd been coming to the same diner for decades who were so enamored with Mabel's sunny outlook and strange brand of wit that Dipper wouldn't be surprised if she was written into some of their wills by now.

"How's the gnome sanctuary coming?"

"It's good." Dipper replied brightly. "Candy and Grenda claim that they've won over most of Jeff's followers, so we should all be on the same page with the cannibalism and forced marriage stuff." He reported hopefully. "They said they're fine with rotating a couple dozen gnomes out to the Manor as long as they get plenty of fresh air and some fabric for new hats."

* * *

Most of what Dipper had done in the Manor consisted of floor plans and cardboard mock-ups of various exhibits or attractions. She'd warned him not to get too involved until the zoning was sorted out, lest they have to alter their plans and undo his work. As Pacifica expected, he'd been doing an excellent job. He had plans for almost every room in the house, and his enthusiasm was contagious as he led her through the Manor, babbling on about his vision for its decrepit halls. Eventually he led her to the room with the picture window where he'd first kissed her, and she found to her surprise that she smelled food.

"I know I've said it a lot, but I wanted to thank you again for believing in me enough to bankroll this madness." He gestured shyly all around himself, indicating the manor, unable to make eye contact through his nerves. "It's not just the money you spent that-"

She cut him off, as she'd done many times before. "You're welcome, Dipper. For the millionth time, I'm the one who should thank you. You showed me that I didn't have to be like my parents, and then you saved the world. If I can buy you a mansion now and then, that's only fair." She shrugged with a soft smile. Dipper was at a loss for words, and as he awkwardly scratched his neck, she inspected the long table in the center of the room and found that it had recently been dusted and polished. She also found the source of the tasty smell.

"Pizza?"

"Pepperoni. And Pitt in champagne glasses." Dipper confirmed. "It's all I've got the money for at the moment. I did bring some truffle oil for you if that'll help the peasant food go down smoother." He pulled a small spray bottle from his pocket with a wry grin. Knowing Dipper the bottle was probably full of luminol.

"Very funny." She tried to sound sarcastic but she couldn't keep the genuine amusement out of her voice. "And those are cognac snifters, not champagne flutes." She smirked as she slowly approached Dipper and lightly pressed a finger to his chest. "You know, when I gave you that corporate credit card I _did_ expect you to abuse it a little." She smiled indulgently. "You could have splurged if you wanted to. I know you're working really hard on all this, so it's not like you don't deserve it."

"OK, one, I don't know what a cone-yak is but I'm curious as to how it drinks from a glass, and two, what would people say if I was getting lobsters and venison delivered all the time? They'll just say I'm your kept man." He concluded dramatically, snaking an arm around her hip and pulling her close for effect. His eyebrows waggled suggestively, but it was still charming and debonair somehow. She was still trying to figure out how the awkward twelve year old she'd fallen for had gotten so good at banter. Nothing built a young man's confidence like saving the universe, she supposed.

"Would that really be the end of the world?" Pacifica asked softly.

He hummed thoughtfully. "Do I have to stay here in the house giving tours all the time or do I still get to stomp around the woods looking for trouble?"

"That depends on how generous or lonely I'm feeling." Pacifica chuckled. She was close enough that Dipper could feel her breath tickling his neck. "That's how those arrangements tend to work." She continued. Dipper made an effort to look thoughtful again, so she decided to sweeten the deal. "How about this?" She ran a finger under his chin. "If _you_ promise not to be away too long punching pterodactyls and to always come home in one piece, then _I_ promise to be here when you get back." The thought made her blush. She didn't really live in Piedmont – yet. It was a little presumptuous to start thinking of it as home, but for a long time now, Dipper had felt like home to her.

"So I keep doing what I'm doing and you shower me with money and kisses?" He mused.

"Hey, for the amount I'm paying you, I'm going to want a lot more than kisses." She punctuated her remark by snaking a hand under the back of his shirt, lightly dragging her nails over his skin.

"That sounds alright." He concluded evenly.

"I thought you'd see it my way." She whispered, rising to her tiptoes for a kiss.


	2. Roots and Kindling

**I felt like there was more to tell, so here's a surprise second chapter. Reviews are appreciated.**

Roots and Kindling

When amorous teenagers have a private space for any decent length of time, they're willing to overlook some things. Does this house look haunted? Doesn't matter. Does this futon clash terribly with the rest of the decor? Absolutely, but it's serviceably soft. Pacifica was _more_ than serviceably soft, and Dipper was silently congratulating himself on turning the sitting room overlooking the graveyard into a sort of base for his work at the manor. He was especially glad he'd thought to put in a piece of modern furniture.

Pacifica received a message from Mabel as she sat astride Dipper's lap. _Scratch behind his ears. He's like a cat. He kinda freezes and his brain shuts down. It's fun!_ She chuckled quietly as she read it aloud.

Mabel definitely spent more time talking about the intimate side of her brother's and best friend's relationship than they did. Dipper and Pacifica did _think_ about it often - usually late at night when they were apart - but they were both entirely too shy about the subject to really _talk_ about it, except for the few occasions when they would drop hints solely to mess with Mabel.

Dipper commented that no one had done the "ear thing" to him in years and suavely proposed that she try it for science.

Pacifica needed no invitation, of course, and put Mabel's suggestion to work immediately. Dipper responded positively, stroking his girlfriend's neck in a way that always resulted in happy shivers.

Lately, when the young couple's makeout sessions would reach a fever pitch, they were always _sure_ something new would happen. But in the end they'd always hit the same invisible barrier. Hot, sharp breaths would tumble over their lips and dissipate in the comparatively cool air as their eyes silently asked "what now?"

Instead of letting their bodies answer the silent question, they would rest their foreheads against each other, close their eyes, and wait for the inferno to burn low. Eventually they'd open their eyes to gaze on a burning face, then share a relatively chaste kiss and a smile. They wouldn't directly acknowledge the fire, but they'd silently tuck the embers away for next time.

So it went. They probed with eyes and hands, but they always retreated somewhere safe. There was no reason to believe that today would be different. As he caught his breath between kisses, Dipper wondered for the hundredth time if Pacifica wanted him the same way he wanted her.

For the hundredth time, Pacifica wondered the same thing. Their prolonged lip-locking had gotten her warm enough to remove her sweater. After the unnecessary garment popped over her head, Pacifica found her favorite nerd staring at her with wide, unreadable eyes. He toyed with the hem of her camisole and Pacifica's mind raced. _When was the last time he saw me in something this casual?_ Her heart leapt. Was this it? The tipping point? She really _had_ been overheating, but if Dipper were to take it as an invitation… She pulled his face to hers with unusual ferocity, and a giddy, needy sensation thrilled through her body as Dipper ran his hand halfway up her back, lifting the flimsy cloth that had fanned the flames. As Dipper crushed her body against his, the fire in her chest raged higher than ever. Something was happening.

Or it might have, if Pacifica's phone hadn't trilled with a new text from Mabel.

 _Did it work?_ Pacifica smiled and shook her head impatiently, putting her phone down and returning her attention to her boyfriend's lips, but she failed to make contact before Dipper's phone vibrated as well.

 _You better not hog her all night. We have serious sleepover stuff to do! Do you want her to be awake at all tomorrow?_ Dipper laughed at his sister's antics. "She's threatening to keep you up all night."

"Doesn't she always?" Pacifica smiled, her face flushed and nerves still singing as the carnal tension began to fade.

"Good point." Dipper agreed. He soon received yet another text.

 _I've got a proposal for you. If you bring her home in the next half hour, I'll do my best to sneak her into your room when she's ready to fall asleep. I get to wear her out with girl talk, you get cuddles. That's teamwork, bro! Time management! Synergy!_

Dipper blushed deeply as he read Mabel's proposal. He wasn't sure if Mabel was serious about assisting a late-night rendezvous under their parents' roof, but after what had just happened, the possibility of Pacifica in his bed was more intriguing than ever. Even if Mabel's offer was bogus, guilt compelled him to take her home. He knew Mabel had missed Pacifica almost as much as he had. The young couple agree to take pity on Mabel and departed for the Pines residence.

On the drive home, Pacifica smiled wistfully and wondered what might have happened if Mabel hadn't interrupted them. If she hadn't been so focused on the road, she might have noticed Dipper glancing at the clock unusually often.

* * *

Pacifica got as far as the curb before Mabel essentially tackled her.

"C'mere Fancy!" She squealed into the blonde's ear before yanking her across the lawn and into the house. Pacifica had just enough time to pop the trunk and shout something to Dipper about her bag before she disappeared inside. Dipper just smiled at his sister's enthusiasm before retrieving Pacifica's designer luggage from the car and hauling it inside.

If he was lucky, Mabel might let his girlfriend out of her sight long enough to allow them a quick goodnight. If not, well, she'd be there for a week. Mabel had to go to work eventually.

But if he was _really_ lucky… well, he didn't want to jinx it.

* * *

Dipper was reading in bed when his two favorite girls entered through the twins' shared bathroom.

"Here she is, as promised!" Mabel declared.

"You weren't kidding earlier?" Dipper closed his book with a look of mild surprise. Pacifica smiled shyly over Mabel's shoulder.

"Hey, you got her here within the time limit. Just holdin' up my end of the deal." Mabel shrugged innocently.

"I think she's fallen off the matchmaking wagon again." Pacifica observed in a stage whisper.

"Hey, I just love love." Mabel shamelessly admitted. "Besides, you guys are adorable together! Imagine the kids you'd make!"

"Oh, so that's what it's all about. Just trying to get those teen pregnancy numbers up, huh?" Dipper suggested wryly.

"I mean, on the one hand, it's way too soon for you guys to have a kid, but on the other hand, I wanna be Auntie Mabel, like, _yesterday._ So you do what you want." She finished with a saucy wink.

"Goodnight, Mabel." Dipper said flatly.

"Night bro-bro. Night Fancy. Be good! Or don't!" Mabel left with a final waggle of her eyebrows, closing the bathroom door behind her. Even knowing Mabel as well as they did, the young couple still found her boldness amusing.

Pacifica sat on the corner of Dipper's desk, looking over his notes so that she didn't have to face him. A nervous energy had coiled in her stomach as soon as she saw her handsome boyfriend in bed.

Dipper had been nearly ready to turn in for the night, but he suddenly felt wide awake. Pacifica's outfit was having quite an effect on him. She wore the camisole from earlier and a pair of soft and expensive-looking pajama pants that hugged her hips. Notably absent were the telltale white straps of a bra. Dipper's mouth started to feel oddly dry.

"I'm kind of worried she'll take our clothes and shove us in a closet some day." Pacifica mused. "It's like she doesn't realize we're dating or something." She joked.

"Matchmaking by assault and kidnapping. Classic Mabel." Dipper laughed.

"Has she told you about that weird idea she has for you two to do a spooky magic act at the Manor? Where you act like Gideon Gleeful and freak people out with the whole twin thing?"

"The 'Telepath Twins' bit? Yeah, she's _way_ too into that." Dipper looked uneasy, though he couldn't keep a trace of amusement off his face.

"I mean, I figured you wouldn't go for it, but did you see the outfits she designed?" Pacifica demanded. "They're _amazing._ You could rule the world in an outfit like that."

"It's _acting_ though. I'd be terrible at that." Dipper cringed.

"Would you be mad if I had the outfits made for you guys?" Pacifica pleaded. "Mabel's totally got the legs for it. If you don't want the world, you can at least rule me when you're wearing it." She offered, making an attempt at innocent doe eyes which Dipper found more amusing than arousing.

"I dunno." He teased. "I'm not sure if 'ruling' you would fit the persona she was describing for the characters. I think she said 'intense, mysterious, and incesty.'"

"Ruling people sounds intense and you have plenty of experience with mysteries. Just leave the incest out and we'll be fine." Pacifica shrugged playfully.

"I'm pretty sure I'm more awkward than mysterious." Dipper chuckled.

"Mmm. Tall, dork and handsome." Pacifica recited cheekily. It wasn't the first time she'd used that line, and it wouldn't be the last.

Dipper's reaction was typical - he tried and failed to look stern, then smirked and delivered his usual response. "C'mere blondie. I wanna see if your roots are showing." His smirk always melted into something softer, and she treasured the knowledge that Dipper couldn't even pretend not to care for her. He was the best part of her world for a reason.

So the routine went. Even though he'd "inspected" her roots countless times before, she never refused his invitation. Pacifica crossed to the bed with a smile, knowing what would come next. Dipper welcomed her with open arms and Pacifica sighed contentedly as they wrapped around her shoulders and a few dextrous, gentle fingertips whispered over the crown of her head. "Hmm. Still blonde. Very convincing." His voice was soft and teasing.

"It's real and you know it." Pacifica murmured. She would never tire of Dipper's fingers in her hair. She could feel a hint of his breath on her scalp as he intently perused her silky locks. "Can we lie down?" She quietly requested.

Dipper wordlessly turned to stretch over the mattress, taking her with him. The young couple lay together in his bed for some time, enjoying the closeness and warmth.

Initially Pacifica had hoped that they might continue where they'd left off at the manor, but the long day was finally catching up with her and she found her eyelids growing heavy. "I guess I should go." She sighed and spared a frown at the door of the twins' shared bathroom.

"You don't have to." Dipper was so tired and enthralled by the way Pacifica felt in his arms that he was willing to give Mabel's suggestion a shot.

"Won't you get in trouble if I stay?"

"That assumes they find out that you stayed. Mabel implied she'd cover for us somehow."

"Yeah, she's got the bathroom light on and the door on her side is cracked so you can see it." Pacifica smiled as she explained Mabel's clever ruse, which she had dubbed the Midnight Rendezruse. "She said your parents would just assume I was in there if they ever checked. And she said if we slept facing the wall with you on the outside no one would be able to see me."

"Sounds like a decent plan." Dipper nodded appreciatively. Mabel could be incredibly resourceful in matters of love. He was reminded of a certain no-budget puppet show and a Free Willy-style merman relocation.

"It does make sense. But what if they _do_ find out?" Pacifica asked in a small voice.

"Well, my parents aren't as scary as yours." Dipper gently reminded her. "I mean, they don't have the money to ship me off to boarding school in Switzerland or something like that." Pacifica frowned. Her parents had made that threat after she opened the gates to the party, but thankfully they hadn't gone through with it. "I can't imagine my parents doing anything worse than grounding me, which probably wouldn't work now since I've got a job and a super-hot boss and a rickety mansion to stay in." Pacifica smiled weakly but Dipper sensed his girlfriend's concern. "And you're an adult now, remember? All you'd have to do is slap a cop or something and the Swiss would deport you, right?"

Pacifica's smile was much more genuine as she responded. "They're called gendarmes, and you've been spending too much time with your uncle if that's how you'd get home from Switzerland." Pacifica laughed.

"I have not spent _nearly_ enough time with Stan." Dipper declared. "He still needs to teach me how to count cards."

Pacifica eyed her boyfriend dubiously. "Didn't he get you bolt cutters for your 18th birthday?"

"Yup. 'You never know when you might be hungry enough to borrow stuff without asking.'"

"Well at least you're prepared." Pacifica rolled her eyes fondly.

Many minutes of quiet conversation peppered with long pauses passed, and the young couple now laid side by side as Mabel had proposed, with the young heiress facing the wall. Pacifica never thought she'd enjoy having her nose a few inches from a wall so much, but it was surprisingly nice. The white expanse was there if she cared to open her eyes, but she was keeping them closed while she relished the feeling of Dipper's body pressed against hers.

Life was good. There was a blank canvas before her, a better man than she'd ever dreamed of at her back, and the faint, muffled strains of foreign pop music filtering through the door from Mabel's room.

Pacifica had never felt so content. She thought it strange that tears should pick such a happy moment to prickle at the corners of her eyes.

"I really like staying at your house." The words were quiet but surprisingly full of emotion. Pacifica turned over to press her head into her boyfriend's chest.

"Why? Does yours get crowded with all the servants?" Dipper quipped as he adjusted to his lady's new position. He felt a puff of air against his neck as Pacifica let out a sniff of mirth.

"No, this place just feels more like a home. You remember what my house is like. So big you get lost. It's like sleeping in a museum."

"A museum of dickery." Dipper agreed, stifling a yawn.

"I mean, I think about all the crap we have at home that's older than both my parents put together. All the shiny stuff that meant something to someone who's long gone - until a Northwest stole it from them." Dipper snorted at that. "All the walls and floors and furniture I wasn't allowed to touch." The tired girl continued with a sigh. "But your house… you can tell people live here." She concluded.

Just when Dipper thought she might have fallen asleep, another thought flitted into Pacifica's leaden mind. "There's only one thing I'm not allowed to touch here." Dipper could hear the smile creep into her voice, slow and wide. He waited for what he assumed would be a punchline, but she remained silent, tracing a finger in little circles over his chest. As tired as he was, he failed to pick up her meaning. "You." She whispered, turning her head to press a kiss against his neck.

Dipper squeezed her appreciatively. "One rule and you just had to break it, huh?" He smirked.

"I blame Mabel." Pacifica mumbled. "She's a bad influence."

"Mmm." Dipper agreed. "Good sister though." He added.

"Yeah. Good friend too."

"And hopefully a good lookout."

"Seriously though, if your parents find me in here are they gonna throw me out?" She worried aloud. Her concern wasn't so much avoiding trouble as it was staying in the Pines' good graces. They were good people - Dipper was proof enough of that.

"Nah. They'll make one of us sleep on the couch downstairs." He yawned. "Probably me."

Pacifica dimly wondered where that would leave her. Probably Mabel's room, where she technically belonged. Or maybe she could sleep in Dipper's bed. Dipper's bed was nice. It smelled like him. Though it wouldn't be as nice without him in it. She frowned. It would be terribly unjust for anyone to separate her from Dipper. "We've got all our clothes on. We're behaving just fine." She reasoned blearily. "M'not moving." She nuzzled her head against his chest obstinately.

Dipper ran a thumb over his girlfriend's nearly-bare shoulders. Her skin was warm and unbelievably soft, and her gorgeous, genuinely blonde hair pooled behind her, flowing over Dipper's arms like silk. In the space between his breaths, he could feel the delicate thump of her heart against his ribcage. "Me neither."

 **Pacifica's thoughts about Dipper's house feeling more "alive" than her own are based on my own experiences. I came from a house with carpet you weren't allowed to walk on and furniture you shouldn't touch, and I hope all of you get to experience a few evenings in a house that's never empty or quiet. I had some of my happiest moments in a place like that. I don't miss the person I was there to see, but I miss the way her family made me feel sometimes.**

 **Also there was this one dick that called me Fancy because of my upper class roots. I thought it would be a perfect name to hand down to Pacifica.**


End file.
